𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈.
i know what you are, brighter than the stars

ᯓᡣ𐭩

"𝐈 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 what's going on out there, but I know what's going on in here. You have to leave."

Maisie frowned at Luke's words as the two of them rushed toward the closest exit of the Labyrinth.

"What the hell? You can't just tell me to leave," she responded, letting go of his hand and crossing her arms instead. Luke turned to face her too, his expression serious.

"I can and I am. We're planning to attack the camp. You need to get far away, or else you'll be caught in the crossfire."

"Would you seriously let that happen?" she asked, half challenging, half actually wondering.

"I would never. But he would."

Luke's gaze didn't leave her eyes as he spoke, his tone careful and final. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, which meant he had to push her away.

Maisie pursed her lips, considering his words. He was right, of course. For all she knew, Kronos could come back right that second and kill her. Although she was pretty sure Luke was fighting not to let that happen.

"I'd tell you to be safe, but I know you won't be. So, just, please don't die," she opted for, attempting a weak smile.

Luke smiled back at her, strained, but enough.

"I'll try," he promised, hastily pulling her in by the back of her head, placing a kiss on her hair. Maisie wished she could stay in that position and didn't have to go face the real world.

Luke pulled away after a few seconds and cupped her face. "I love you too," he whispered.

Words meant only for her, a sacred secret, not for the world to ruin. Theirs.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

Camp was already in shambles, and the war hadn't even started yet.

As soon as Maisie came to the surface, she could spot scared and anxious campers running around, preparing weapons, cabin leaders barking out orders, Chiron scrambling to offer reassurance and courage. She couldn't help feeling stressed too.

As she was making her way to cabin six to see how things were going there, she noticed Annabeth and Percy leaving the Labyrinth from a different exit. Thank the gods they hadn't seen her.

"Maisie!" Annabeth called out, spotting her and running over to her.

"I'm glad you guys are okay," Maisie instantly said, looking over them both, identical white streaks still visible in their hair.

"Monsters are coming out of the Labyrinth as we speak. We need to move," Percy said, motioning for them to follow him. Guess she wouldn't have time to check up on her cabin.

The trio ran towards the main entrance to the Labyrinth. On their way, a younger camper stopped them to give them chest plates to wear, somewhat ensuring their safety.

At the entrance, the ground was shaking, as hundreds of monsters could be heard emerging from there. Here goes nothing.

Of course Maisie wasn't going to leave. She'd never let her fellow campers fight off an entire army on their own. Her loyalties still lied in the camp.

The first monsters made their appearance, and battle roars could be heard from the campers. Maisie rushed forward with everyone else, wielding her daggers. She made contact with her first monster, slashing at it with all her might, quickly moving on to the next.

She didn't dare look away, in fear of stupidly getting injured for shifting her attention.

She kept going, fighting several variations of monsters for what felt like ages. Her arms had started feeling sore, but she wouldn't give up. That wasn't what warriors did.

After stabbing another monster straight in the heart, Maisie allowed herself a second to breathe. She inhaled through her nose, exhaled through her mouth, before facing her next opponent.

The worst monster of all.

Maisie could immediately tell it was Kronos from the way his eyes lit with an evil glint.

Luke's familiar eyebrows were dangerously pointed, the curve of his lips pulled up in a horrific smirk. His stance was slightly limpy, as that of someone who hadn't walked in a while. And his gaze burned right through her.

"Well," Kronos said, Luke's body approaching her. "What do we have here? The infamous girl who's got this idiot all over the place." He tilted his head as he spoke, his voice an ugly, sinister tune. It made Maisie want to rip out his vocal cords.

She had to try hard to remind herself whose body she'd be fighting. She couldn't do anything fatal to him, or she'd lose him. And that wasn't supposed to happen.

Maisie straightened, putting on her most menacing face, trying to look even more intimidating than him. Trying to show she wasn't afraid of him.

"He sure as hell put you in your place. Can't even have a body of your own," she insulted him to anger him. She wanted him to initiate the fight. She wouldn't swing first.

"You think you're brave? You're not." Kronos took slow but deliberate steps toward her, staring at her as he did. "You're never seeing him again. I'll rule and you know it." He was now standing right in front of her, Luke's scar in full view. Maisie itched to trace it with her fingers.

She looked up at him, tilting her head to the side, mimicking him. As she looked into his eyes, Kronos' or Luke's, something changed.

Maisie sensed a shift, in his face, his demeanor. So small that she'd miss it if she blinked. But it was there. His eyebrows shot up slightly for the quickest moment, his eyes glossy. But it was over as soon as it started.

She knew.

Luke was still in there, and he was trying to come back.

Kronos was wrong. She was going to see him again, one way or another.

Before she had time to respond, or he to swing, the ground started shaking again. Maisie blinked, subtly looking to the side. Kronos' attention shifted for a split second, but that was enough. Maisie pushed him hard when he was too busy looking behind him, making him fall right at the entrance of the Labyrinth.

He let out a yelp, but he had no time to get back on his feet, since the tunnel crumbled on him.

The Labyrinth was being destroyed. Maisie looked around, confused. There was Annabeth, stumbling back with Percy, as she clutched a laptop to her chest. Maisie knew her sister had something to do with this. She had led this quest after all.

Any monster who hadn't made it out of the Labyrinth, got smashed in the destruction, drowning in dirt and debris. Kronos was nowhere to be found, probably underneath all this mess.

But Maisie wasn't upset this time. Because she knew he'd survived it. Luke was still there, and he wasn't going to give up that easy.

The monsters were gone, their leader nowhere to be found, and the campers were safe. Camp Half-Blood was saved. But this wasn't the end.

───────

dear reader!

bye bye act four, onto the final act!!!!! updates will probably stay sporadic but best believe I'm finishing this book one way or another